A/N: The past year has been hard, hell past two years. As reviews drop off, I wondered, did anyone care if I wrote. I didn't post as much as usual last year and as I began to wonder if maybe it was time for me to quit, I began to get messages from people thanking me. So this Christmas, I decided to do what I do best, even though I haven't felt like it. A prereader said this fic reminded them of a Hallmark movie. Well…then mission accomplished. Ch 12.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"Well, what do you think?" Sarah asked, looking directly at Chuck.

"I think I'm not the person to be asking that, since I don't own this house any longer," Chuck replied. Sarah gave him a flat look. He gestured toward Emma, his palm out. "It's hers now!"

"I love it," Emma told her. "You're good at this."

"Thanks," Sarah said shyly.

"Did we just find something else for Sarah to do?" Chuck asked Carina, who was standing beside him. The two watched Emma and Sarah slowly walk around the house, Sarah excitedly pointing and describing things to her mom.

"Oh, Zondra and I knew that a few days ago, but you had your head too far up your ass to notice."

"I deserve that," Chuck replied, nodding slowly. "So, I need to ask you and Zondra a favor."

"We're not those kinda friends, Chuck," Carina told him. Chuck turned to her, confusion on his face. "I mean, I get how it would change your life for some 'benefits,'" she said with air quotes as Chuck's eyes widened and threatened to bug out of his eye sockets.

"I was not talking about that, or was thinking about that or…." Chuck trailed off, looking at Zondra as she walked up to the two.

Zondra studied Chuck for a moment. "Friends with benefits comment?" Zondra asked Carina. Carina grinned at her. "It took you longer than I expected."

"First time I really found a good opening," Carina replied.

"I seriously need your help, you two," Chuck said softly, glancing over to where Sarah and Emma were. "Sarah and Emma are still in danger."

"How do you know they're in danger?" Zondra asked, all laughing and playfulness gone from her face.

"A Marshall from WitSec told me," Chuck explained. "You may have noticed him at the funeral home earlier."

"Jaw of granite, looks like he grunts a lot?" Carina asked. Chuck just stared at her. "What? He has that look."

"You would know," Zondra muttered. Carina shrugged. "He told you all of this?"

"Yeah," Chuck said, nodding. "And he gave me a bit of an idea of how to find him." Zondra crossed her arms. "Guy is a builder, and Casey is sure that somewhere, someone has been paid off. If I can find permits and contracts, and material costs, do you think we could figure out which buildings might be not up to code."

"If you're going to cheat like that, there would be a second set of books," Zondra said softly. She looked over to make sure Sarah wasn't nearby. "Those kind of books are always literally physical copies only."

"I know, BUT, there has to be invoices and purchase orders, and acceptance of deliveries," Chuck began.

"And if the material bid for is never purchased, where the hell did they get it," Carina finished. "But what good does that do you?"

"I have to believe that's enough for a search warrant," Chuck replied.

"Would it?" Carina asked with a shrug. "They would need some actual proof."

"Like what?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know, wiretaps?" Carina offered. "And then…Chuck, what you're talking about could take a long time. I mean, those guys…they're old school."

"Wait," Chuck said, snapping his fingers. "This guy, he's not, Casey said he's trying to get a seat at the table and doesn't do things like the old school guys do."

"Great, now all you have to do is find a way to turn his new school stuff against him," Carina said, throwing up her hands. "Chuck, unless you can figure out who he bribed, and get him to talk to this dude, AND record it, you have no shot."

"Think if we went through the paperwork we could figure out who he bribed?" Chuck asked Carina and Zondra.

"Okay, say we can," Zondra began. "And, of course we can, we're amazing," she said, gesturing between herself and Carina. "What good does that do?"

"We could spook him," Chuck said, tapping his finger on his lip, thinking. "We could spook him, and make him meet this Little Sammy guy. If we could record his conversation…" Chuck trailed off.

"Uh, Chuck, they are back east," Carina reminded him.

"Guy is supposedly new school," Chuck said with a shrug. "He's got to have a computer, cell phone, or something, that I can turn into a listening device." Carina's and Zondra's eyes bugged out. "Guys, these electronic devices are listening, so all I have to do is-"

"Whoa," Carina said, raising her hand. "Basically you can turn a device into a microphone and record what you need on the other end?"

"Yep, and then, we turn it over to the right person, and they use it to get a search warrant…" Chuck grimaced.

"What?" Zondra asked.

"It might get the mafia guy whacked," Chuck told them. Both Carina and Zondra just looked at him. "Is it me being worried about the mafia guy dying or me using the word whacked?"

"Yes," Zondra told him. "Okay, we do all of this, and then they're safe?"

"According to Casey, yes," Chuck told them.

"Fine, we need to meet this guy," Carina told him. Zondra turned, an eyebrow raised at Carina. "What? I want to know who I'm dealing with."

"A WitSec Marshall," Zondra told her.

"Who's a WitSec Marshall?" Sarah asked, coming up on the three.

"John Casey, he was at the service today," Chuck told Sarah.

"He's a good guy, he wanted me to go back into the program," Sarah said, locking eyes with Chuck. "I'm surprised he didn't try to get some of you to help him."

"I think if he did, I'd have to tell him that you want to live life," Chuck replied. Sarah was watching Chuck and missed the massive eye roll of Carina. Zondra kicked her shin. "I think Carina may have the hots for him." He heard Carina gasps. "She thinks he grunts."

"He…does," Sarah said, looking over at Carina, confused.

"Huh," Carina replied, a grin growing on her face.

"Warned you about being friends," Zondra said in a sing-song voice. Sarah snorted at their antics. Chuck found himself laughing, and realized where he was…in his friend's old house…and he realized it may have been the first time he laughed there since Morgan died.

A/N: Oh look, ANOTHER double chapter. I'm just two nice.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

Mary, Stephen, and Emma left the Friday before Thanksgiving to close up Sarah and Emma's old house. The team began plans on what to do with Emma's new house. Chuck surprised everyone at the end of the day by offering to take them out to dinner, his treat. He made sure it was okay with the group, and invited Ellie and Devon to join them.

That evening found the six, in a corner booth. Carina and Zondra on one side, Ellie and Devon on the other, and Chuck and Sarah in the middle. Ellie kept exchanging amused glances with Carina and Zondra. They were at Chuck and Ellie's favorite Mexican restaurant, having chips and salsa, (Carina had to have queso, because…well…Carina), having a few drinks, waiting on their entrées, and having a great time.

"Nice to see you out with people that aren't just family, little brother," Ellie said to Chuck softly.

"Oh, they are family," Chuck replied. "Carina and Zondra have become like big sisters to me, if I'm honest."

"It's because we're so wise," Carina quipped, pleased with herself.

"More like old and bossy," Chuck continued.

Carina glared at him, and Zondra just shook her head. "Dude, you just don't know when to stop."

"So what's Sarah, Chuck?" Carina asked, popping a chip into her mouth and staring him down. Chuck sat there a second, knowing he had stepped in it. "You better not say a sister, because there are laws about that kind of thing."

"What kind of thing?" Sarah asked, turning to Chuck, the look of absolute innocence on her face.

"Nepotism," Zondra quickly answered, shaking her head at Chuck. Sarah turned to her, a questioning look on her face. "Since Chuck, Carina, and I are all partners, it's fine if we're related in his weird way, but if you are, that could be nepotism."

Sarah picked up a chip, scooped it in salsa, all while having a thoughtful look on her face. "Are you sure?" she asked Zondra, grinning where Chuck couldn't see her. "I didn't think it worked that way."

"I mean, isn't that the only thing that can make sense out of what Carina said," Zondra offered.

Chuck had to unbury himself from this hole Carina had dug for him, so he did the only thing he knew to do, embarrass himself. "Hey, Devon, I have to go to the little boys room, wanna go with me?" Devon gave him a weird look. "Girls do it all the time," Chuck pointed out.

"Well, we're all for equality," Ellie said, just avoiding rolling her eyes. Devon got out of the booth, followed by Ellie, and then Chuck. Devon held out his arm, grinning, Chuck hooked his through Devon's, and they skipped toward the bathrooms, making people nearby laugh. "What in the hell are you doing, Carina?" Ellie hissed, sliding back into the booth.

"Nothing, just teasing my friend," Carina replied.

Sarah took another chip and dipped it in queso. "You about gave him a heart attack," Sarah told Carina. "While I found it funny, he is a little skittish with all of this."

"I've been messing with him for a while," Carina replied, shrugging. "He'll get used to it."

"Oh, that's not what I was talking about," Sarah said, popping another queso-dipped chip in her mouth. "I was talking about figuring out what he's feeling for me." The other three women's eyes widened. "What, am I wrong?"

"Nope," Ellie replied, emphasizing the "p". "I just wasn't sure you realized it."

"Ellie, I know I haven't known you or him very long, and the moments we've been together," she paused and turned to Carina. "Not that way, and don't even say it." Carina mimed zipping her mouth. Sarah nodded and turned back to Ellie. "They have been at some of our worst moments." She let out a breath. "Chuck made a decision to change…I'm hoping it's because he realized it was what is best for him, but I'm afraid it's because he wants to be with me."

"No, it's because he didn't want to lose you, and no one else ever showed him that there were consequences to how he was being," Ellie explained. "Sarah, I get what you're saying, and get why you're worried, but you never told him changing would result in the two of you being together. He changed because he realized hiding wasn't letting him live the life he wanted to any longer." Sarah looked skeptical. "You're the best thing that's happened to that boy in a long, long time."

"If you're interested in him, we all encourage you to go for it," Zondra added.

"What are you doing?" Carina asked, smacking Zondra on the shoulder.

"We're already involved," Zondra countered.

"Not directly," Carina emphasized.

"Listen, this is new to me too," Sarah said shrugging. "I've never really been in a relationship before…"

"Just take the lead, he'll be fine with it," Ellie told her.

"Boy, will he," Carina muttered, making everyone laugh.

"I feel like I'm the butt of the joke," Chuck said, walking up to the table.

"Where's my husband?" Ellie asked, sliding out of the booth.

"Talking to some guy about rock climbing," Chuck told her, jerking his thumb in the direction Devon had gone. Ellie rolled her eyes and headed after him. Chuck slid in the booth beside Sarah. "Did I miss anything important?"

"Just that Sarah likes to be in charge," Carina said, as she bit into a chip.

"I could see that, being that she's been told what to do for so long, being in WitSec," Chuck countered. Sarah and Carina shared a grin.

"So, you'd let her decide and be in charge of stuff?" Carina asked.

"I mean, we're the ones in charge," Chuck said, gesturing to himself, Carina, and Zondra.

"I mean personally?" Carina asked.

"Sure, I mean as long as I don't like something we're doing we can stop," Chuck told her.

"He's gonna need a safe word," Carina said in a low voice, making Sarah and Zondra laugh.

Chuck didn't hear what she said, he was watching go by with a drink. "Is that drink seriously in a pineapple?"

Sarah twisted her lips, fighting a smile. "Seem awful excited about that pineapple," Sarah said. Carina winked at Sarah and then looked away, as Zondra rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Maybe if you don't like something, you could just say pineapple," Carina offered as she turned back, trying to control her lips from twitching as she fought off laughter.

"Okkaaaaay," Chuck replied. He turned to Sarah. "I don't understand."

"Trust me?" she asked, grinning.

"Absolutely," he told her. She felt something catch in her, and she thought maybe fun and games were over, and it was time to get serious.

A/N: I mean pineapple is the emergency phrase…..right? I mean, seriously? You need more? FINNNEEEEE

"I wasn't born last night, Chuck Bartowski," she said, her grin growing. "I know how you nerds work, you seduce a girl with that curly mess on your head, thinking everything is fine, and then the next thing I know, I'm stuck on the couch for seven or eight hours, watching some movie that I don't understand about a guy who sounds like he needs an inhaler."

Chuck was trying not to burst out laughing. "Yeah, well, I know your plan as well," he retorted. She made an, "Oh, really?" face. "Don't play your games with me. You're gonna say that since it's so nasty outside, we need some chili, and if we could make a fire, do that, and then the next thing I know, I've seen ten different Christmas movies about some person leaving the big city, and their landlord in this new perfect, New England town is the perfect woman for them."

Soooooo, couch snuggling time is what I'm hearing? I know you're all gonna hate and be bored by that. See you soon. Take care of yourselves. David.